Vermillion
by hitokiri-battousai.oro
Summary: The legendary demonic blade known as the Muramasa has the ability to destroy humanity. For over 600 years, the blade was kept sealed away. However, only the one who holds the key will have the power to bring forth another genocide.   AU&OC&OOC
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**Hello readers! It seems that I'll be starting a new story since I just have to get this idea that's been itching my mind. But don't worry; my other work _An Inevitable Fate_ will still be on-going!

**Vermillion**

_Chapter 1: The Legend of Muramasa_

For over six hundred years ago, it was said that there was legendary swordsman who wielded a sword known as the _Muramasa, _the demonic blade. Its powers were unknown, but legend says that the sword carries nothing but death, destruction, and power. It is so powerful that any wielder would manifest its demonic powers and become powerful enough to wipe out humanity. The first wielder was a mad emperor who happened to stumble upon the abominable weapon during his reign. The weapon was a coming of age gift from a mysterious sword smith who promised him that the blade would aid him during his reign.

"Use this sword to bring justice to your land. Eliminate all evil and your empire shall always be prosperous. Let those who are evil fear your power through the sword; show them the awe power of justice displayed by the emperor's sword."

The old sword smith humbly bowed down before the young emperor's throne, humbly handing him the sword. The sword was beautifully crafted, having the strongest diamond fused with metal as its blade.

"This is the best gift I could offer for our new ruler. I humbly offer you my greatest masterpiece, your majesty."

However, as the young naive emperor accepted the sword, it was unbeknownst that there was a glint of greed in his beady eyes. He heed not the words of wisdom given to him by the old man, for his mind only echoed "evil" "fear" "reign" and "power". The poor young emperor was always pressured on by the council as well as the citizens. Many didn't favor him due to his age. Many doubt his capability to lead the empire since he was only fifteen. He was looked down upon by the council and was even toyed around by corrupted officials without him realizing.

The previous king, his father, died from an incurable disease, thrusting the young boy to the throne. His mother died shortly after his birth, leaving him with no direct royal relatives to take the throne.

Right after receiving the sword, he immediately began to train with it. Miraculously, without having an instructor to teach him, he was able to move like a professional swordsman within only a month. His moves, stance, technique were everything that the people has never seen before. It was almost as if the young emperor was being possessed by the sword. But of course, everyone thought that was impossible and claimed he was a prodigy. When he spars, he cold bloodedly slay his own men. He kept requesting for a stronger opponent. But even so, he managed to defeat them all without receiving a single scratch.

His ego over his strength got the better of him. As a result, misfortune befell the entire nation.

Soon after he discovered how powerful he was, he wanted to show the council and the citizens his strength and how rightful he is to inherit the throne. Before long, the emperor was drunk in his own greed and power. He started slaying all of the members of the royal council.

"How does it feel now you pigs! You looked down on me and this is what you get!" He accused innocent servants as well and slaughtered them mercilessly. His palace was soon dyed in vermillion; no one remained alive except for the king. Among the sea of dead bodies, he laughed insanely before leaving his palace.

"I shall now show those ungrateful citizens that I am their true ruler! With this blade, I am the most invincible. Only those who are able to survive my blade shall be worthy enough to be my citizens!"

He ruled by distributing fear amongst the people. Eventually, the mad emperor started a massive genocide. Leaving no one left alive.

"Since no one was worthy enough to be my people. But that doesn't matter; this is proof that I am the most powerful!"

Seeing that there was no one left in his empire, the emperor only sat quietly on his throne, slumbering for most of the time. A week after the genocide, all the body began to decay and inevitably, diseases crept in. There being no doctor left, the emperor was left suffering in a slow death from a disease. Within another week, the emperor died. This empire known as Shuiro, which literally meant vermillion, is now extinct.

Fortunately, the old sword smith known as Shakku, happened to be in another continent for his expedition. This leaves him as the last remaining Shuiro. What he saw during his return to Shuiro was inexplicable. Just like its name Shuiro, the empire itself was covered in vermillion. It saddened the old man to think that the emperor would fallen this far.

"That foolish naïve boy…" he chocked.

Shakku made his way to the castle where he found the rotting corpse of the emperor on the throne. He carefully disarmed him, taking the sword from his grasp.

"This is a powerful sword. If a proper user was to wield it, peace and prosperity would bloom. However, if evil and abomination was to wield this, it would only bring destruction."

The old man sealed the weapon inside a stone mould covered with a lock of chains. He tossed it inside the imperial well and buried it. In his clutches he held the key that would unlock the seal.

"No one must know the existence of this key, sword, or the events that occurred in this empire."

Shakku bravely set the entire empire aflame, leaving it in ashes. As for the keys he held, he broke them into two parts. One of which he kept and the other was given to his trusted friend who was a monk who lived high in the mountains.

"My dear friend, you must promise me that whatever happens, you must never give this half of the key to anyone. You must keep it even in your grave."

Those were last words he exchanged with the monk before leaving to find a new place to settle in.

It didn't take long for neighboring continents to find out the demise of Shuiro. When armies from other continents came in to investigate, they were shocked to see that nothing of the empire remained but piles of ashes and ruins. Pretty soon, when other greedy empires discovered the now vacant land, they fought over it. They didn't care what led to the mysterious disappearance of the Shuiro Empire; all they cared about was getting the land. Eventually, the battle over the land was won over by the Tsuyo Empire. What remained of the Shuiro Empire was now named the Shuiro district.

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>What do you guys think of this chapter? This is just the prologue, the real thing starts on the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:** Ack, I forgot to put the disclaimer in the first chapter. Anyways, I DO NOT OWN RUROUNI KENSHIN!

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><p><strong>Vermillion<strong>

_Chapter 2: The Search of the Key_

Six hundred years have passed and even so, there are those who still look for the missing pieces of the key. No one knew the truth of what befell on the Shuiro Empire; all they knew was that the entire empire as well as its inhabitants had vanished into a sea of ashes. This made many people create their own tales of wonder. Some say that a huge fire had caught the entire city; it was after all, a very small empire. Others say that the emperor had gone mad and tried to destroy his empire, which was, close to the truth. There are other tall tales and made up stories made, but nevertheless, no one knew the hidden bloody truth. Not even the truth about the Muramasa. In fact, not a single human being knows of its existence and the benevolence it brought.

However, there was an organization who knew of the existence of the Muramasa and everything that was related to the genocide incident which occurred over six hundred years ago. This organization is known as the Tankyu-sha, literally meaning the seeker. They seek for only two things: The other half of the key and the Muramasa.

The Tankyu-sha were the descendants of the good monk who was the best friend of Shakku. This led them to have directly inherited half of key that was entrusted to him. His descendants had mind filled with greed and power. After hearing the tale of the massive destruction, they wanted to recreate the same scenario to make those who were weaker quiver in fear. In other words, Muramasa was the key to taking over an Empire and possibly the world, given if its full potential powers were released.

Thus, this tale of searching for the lost key begins…

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><p><em><span>Shuiro District<span>_

Scurrying through the busy street of Shuiro district was a young red-headed boy who was at the tender age of twelve. Due to his young age, the red pigments in his hair were rather dark in color; making his hair have the color of mahogany, promising that it would continue to grow brighter into vermillion as he gets older. He was a normal boy and small for his age. He didn't have many friends since he would get picked on often due to his size. While other boys his age picked up swordsmanship, his frail features hindered him from doing so. This is all the more reason he would get picked on. Whenever he visited a dojo, the masters would judge him on his physical appearance rather than evaluating his talent. They told him he was unfit for swordsmanship because he was too frail-looking or looked too feminine. Nakajima Shinta was just a normal errand boy who helps out his mother at home as well as the elders around the district. Despite his scrawny features, he was surprisingly strong and very fast. He would get any job done in a jiffy. The elders encouraged him to use his talent for good use like swordsmanship; but Shinta refused. No matter how talented people think he is the dojos would never accept him due to his features. They wanted someone big and tough.

His mother had asked him to purchase the ingredients needed for tonight's dinner. However, it seems that he's running a little late from unnecessary detours, which will get him an earful from his mother.

"Nakajima Shinta! What did I tell you about getting those ingredients on time? Now we'll have to have a late dinner." His mother scolded.

Nakajima Hikaru was a widow whose husband, Himura Toshiki had left the world a few months after Shinta was born, thus, leaving him in a fatherless family. Toshiki was a weak bodied man who died of pneumonia, yet this didn't stop Hikaru from telling Kenshin tales of his father's courage, success, and so forth. She especially loved telling him about how they met; a lone handsome farmer and the eye catching beauty of the town.

Hikaru had beautiful vermillion hair which cascaded over her shoulders gracefully. Her beautiful white skin and youthful appearance had deceived many into thinking she was decades younger than her actual age. Her hair and youthful appearance was a gift from her ancestors which was passed down to her son as well.

"Now help me cut these vegetables," she ordered.

Another surprising talent Shinta had was handling the kitchen. Since he was a fast learner, he was able to learn most of the dishes his mother made with just observation. He was a darling child who would help his mother around the house whenever he could. Yet sometimes, Hikaru worried about him being too nice for his own good, like his father. He would always fulfill promises or requests made from the villagers and would do anything to get the job done. One of these days, his naiveté would bring others to take advantage of his good nature.

"Shinta," his mother started.

Shinta, who was busy placing the vegetables on the cutting board, paused and looked at his mother. Were you late because you were making unnecessary detours again?

"But mother, they aren't unnecessary! I was just helping some of the villagers," he whined.

His mother gave him a worried frown.

"How many times have I told you to toughen up a little? Don't you know how to refuse? Honestly, one of these days…"

"Mother, I can take care of my own. You don't have to worry; I love to help others."

Hikaru gave a soft chuckle as she gently ruffled her son's hair.

"I know dear, but please, your kindness is too good for you. What happens if one day all the women in the village were to ask your hand in marriage? Would you be marrying all of them?"

"You're thinking too far! Besides, I'm not that extreme; of course, there will be only one woman for me."

"I'll take your word for it. But remember Shinta, don't ever take an offer if you know it's the wrong thing to do, no matter how desperate the person is."

"Yes, I understand mother."

"Enough chit chat, let's get dinner done!"

Shunned away from the rest of humanity, were the Tankyu-sha hidden their base on the outskirts of Tsuyo Empire. This secret organization was not known by anyone, for they have forbidden anyone of their members to make contact with any other human being unless they were on a mission. This organization had been doing the same mission for past few centuries with only one goal in mind. That is to obtain the other half of the key. Unfortunately, their search had always been unsuccessful, for people of the Shuiro Empire were extinct for over six hundred years. The only survivor they know of was Shakku whom they heard stories from passed down from their ancestors from the good monk. They have heard he had descendants, but they were always well hidden, making it hard for their search. However, their luck is about to change today. Their hunt for the game is finally on; they have found a lead to the missing key fragment.

"Kamui, come forth."

Shishio Makoto was one the leader of the clan. He had inherited everything from the good monk; his intelligence, charisma, but not kindness, chivalry, nor looks. His entire body was wrapped in bandages from severe burns he suffered as punishment from the current emperor; ultimately leading his whole clan to be out casted from the empire. His sin which he paid with the burns was his greed for power. He used to work as an imperial general, but turned against the emperor, using threats and confidential information to overthrow him. It was a very big mistake for the emperor to not end his life, for the prideful emperor thought that the terrible burns would cripple him for life, leaving him to suffer a life full of shame. But how wrong he was; Shishio was ever grateful for the burns. He had obtained a special power that no one could ever have; the power to control flame. Now he is set to not only overthrow the empire, but obtain the Muramasa as well.

"Yes, Shishio-sama."

Kamui was a mysterious warrior from the organization. No one had ever seen his face, except for Shishio himself. His entire body was covered heavily in a black warrior's suit. Making only his eyes crystal blue eyes visible.

"Kamui, this is a very special assignment that I shall entrust to you and I want you to make the big shot alright? It would be easy for you since it's a defenseless woman you'll have to go against."

"Woman?'

"Yes, my sources had told me that his one and only remaining descendant had set foot on the former Shuiro Empire once more. It's saddening to think that Shakku who had worked so hard to travel all around, living in places that are so far away from the bloody kingdom, to have his descendants ironically reside in the place he desperately tried to avoid at any cost."

Kamui looked at him skeptically.

"But, how do you know she's the one?"

Shishio smirked.

"It's because of the red hair. Do you know the reason why the Shuiro Empire was named so? It's because most of its inhabitants had red hair. Shakku had red hair, and having the entire population wiped out, there would only be those who have his blood who would inherit the red hair. Spotting the only person in the whole world who have a red head wouldn't be so hard, now would it?"

Kamui crossed his arms, giving the older man a suspicious look.

"Why did you choose a rookie like me to do the job?"

"That's precisely why, kid. It's because you're the youngest and probably the most naive. In other words, you're the most innocent one in our organization. You will be able to be the wolf who dresses itself in sheep's clothing. Pretending to be a lost child trespass the Tsuyo Empire without knowing wouldn't be much of a threat to them. But if it were one of us older ones, they would definitely suspect something. Especially since we are an outcast, they would be on a full lookout for us."

Cutting straight to work, Shishio gave the youngling specific instructions as well as the location of the specified target. Kamui is to head out of their headquarters in two days after all preparations are complete.

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><p>Dinner at the Nakajima residence ended with bowls and utensils clanging against each softly other as the table was being cleared out.<p>

"I'll do the dishes and you can wipe the table," Shinta suggested.

"You're always taking the big job Shinta!"

Without hesitation, his mother made an attempt to steal the dishes piled on his hands. But before, she could reach for one of dishes; Shinta had swiftly turned towards the opposite direction, heading to the kitchen.

"You did the cooking and took care of the house. It's only fair that I share some of the house chores too!"

Hikaru sighed in defeat, placing both her arms on either side her hips.

"Toshiki, your son is so much like you…" she softly whispered as her son disappeared into the kitchen.

"I'll heat up the bath after I'm done with the table then alright?" she called out.

"Sure!" he said as he stuck his head out of the kitchen doorway.

The chirping sounds of cicadas had stopped around two weeks ago. The temperature slowly began to drop and the sun was beginning to set earlier than usual. It was the signal of a change in season; summer was over, and autumn was slowly creeping in.

The young boy eagerly stripped himself, exposing his bare skin to the cold air. He shivered slightly and slowly slipped into the relaxing tub of warm water. Grabbing a bottle of liquid soap and shampoo, he began to lather his head with shampoo before proceeding to his body. While he was absentmindedly cleaning his neck, one of his fingers was entwined by a chain hung around his neck. A small smile cracked on his lips as he fingered the object hanging from the necklace.

Up to this day, the boy never knew what the object was. He gently placed the object between his index finger and thumb, scrutinizing it carefully. His eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out the object. It was a strange shape, or rather, a very unique shape. It seemed to be a very thin, short rectangular shape with jagged edges. Now that he looked at the jagged closely, he noticed that the jagged edges had a certain pattern. There were four jagged edges in total: two were long and the other two were slightly shorter. He had initially thought that it looked as if it was a part of a broken object since the jagged edges suggested it. However, upon closer inspection, it looked as if it was a piece of a missing puzzle. Perhaps the jagged edges were meant for it to be fitted into something? It makes more sense if it was like that.

His mother had given the necklace to him five years ago. She had told him that it was a special heirloom and that no matter what; he must keep with him at all times. No one must know of its existence, and for the past years, he had kept it well hidden underneath his clothing. Being the good son that he was, he obeyed without questioning. He didn't ask the purpose of her giving him the necklace nor what the dangling object on it was. He was dying of curiosity, but he didn't want to ask his mother unnecessary questions. There must be a reason why she didn't tell him anything other than keeping it safely hidden with him when she handed him the necklace.

Shinta knew that his mother was a very rational woman. She would explain herself even if no one asked her. For her not to explain him, must mean that it was no trivial matter. Perhaps he should give her more time to explain herself? It could be that she was waiting for the right moment to tell him the story behind the mysterious necklace.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He dipped his head under water and inhaled as he bobbed his head out of the water. '_Time will solve the mystery. For now I just want to relax in this nice hot bath…'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Vermillion**

_Chapter 3: The Lost Child_

A lonely small figure caked with dirt and dressed in tatters aimlessly wandered through the busy street of Shuiro district. Once in a while, the child would bump into a few people who would frown or mutter curses for his clumsiness. His eyes were a lifelessly dull blue, reflecting nothing but the deep depths of his eyes. He was thin, pale, and lethargic; almost as if he could pass out or even die on the spot. His dragging feet came to a halt when a patrolling guard from a distance trotted towards the him arrogantly.

"You there! I've never seen you around here before. All trespassers are to be prosecuted; how did you manage to enter the city without being caught by the guards at the gate? State your name and birth place, child."

Receiving no reply, the guard harshly lifted the boy by the collar of his gi.

"Speak!"

All the boy did was staring at the guard with his lifeless eyes, causing his anger to boil even more.

"Why you-,"

"Kouji, there's no point in wasting your breath on a mere runt like him. I'm sure there's a reason to why the outside guards would let him in. Look at him; he's probably just some lost child who won't even survive by the end of the day. You're just as good as talking to a walking corpse."

It was the voice of another guard who had interfered.

Kouji spat on the earth haughtily and sent the boy sprawling onto the ground. With a final grunt, he kicked the boy in the abdomen, giving him a disgusted look.

"Useless piece of trash." He said as he stomped away.

The boy was struggling to pick himself off the ground with his shaky hands. The guard who had fended off Kouji glowered down at the boy with narrowed eyes.

"You better do your job properly kid," he said in a low voice.

Kamui shot a death glare back at him. He didn't like to be told what to do by people lower than Shishio. Cold sweat ran down the man's face. He had heard rumors of this boy, he had heard that he was a born combatant who had done nothing but kill for almost his entire life, in cold blood, which made him Shishio's favorite. He gulped nervously, not wanting to cause more trouble with the boy in fear that he would end up tasting his blade. The guard cautiously backed off and disappeared into the crowd.

As he tried to regain balance, an idea sparked in the cunning boy's mind. Perhaps if he were to make a ruckus, surely he'd be able to draw in a crowd. Although the chance of having the red headed woman as one of them was rather low, he was willing to take the gamble. He wanted to make everything flow as naturally as possible, as if they had met by sheer coincidence. If she doesn't happen to show up, then he'd have to think up of another plan.

He was grateful for his luck, for he had spotted a rice stall just opposite from him. Sucking a deep breath, he did what he dared himself to do.

Shinta was heading towards the rice vendor for his last errand of the day. He needed to get home soon or he'll get another scolding from his mother. As he neared the stall, he noticed a large crowed to be surrounding something, or someone. Curiosity got the better of him and he squeezed through the little loopholes in the crowd to get a better look. His eyes widened at the sight before him.

"You thief, return my rice!"

The burly vendor back handed a feeble looking boy. Never had Shinta saw another boy who was smaller than himself. He carefully observed the boy's features, causing him to sympathize with the boy. Maybe he was an orphan? The boy looked like he wouldn't last very long…

The crowd began to jeer in unison.

"That's right, beat some sense into that kid!"

"Such a filthy little thing!"

"Someone call the patrol guards!"

His train of thought was cut off when blood started to trickle down the boy's mouth after the harsh beatings he received. Even if his body was caked with an unbelievable amount of dirt, he could still see the dark purple bruises beginning to form on his pale skin. Shinta knew that he wasn't supposed to make any more unnecessary detours, but, this time, it was a matter of another's life and death. If he doesn't do anything, the poor boy might die. Besides, his mother would surely understand; even if she doesn't, he would explain to her when he gets home.

Gathering up all his courage, Shinta made his way into the circle.

The man was about to land the boy one last blow, until Shinta stepped in between. This made the man stop his blow in midair.

"Shinta! Get out of my way!"

"P-please uncle rice vendor, let the poor boy go!" he said in a shaky voice.

"You really need to learn to not be too compassionate you know? This scum deserves a good beating!"

"But uncle please! I'm sure he has a reason for stealing the rice… Here! I'll pay for the rice he stole."

Shinta fished a few coins out of his pocket, offering them to the furious vendor.

"Please forgive him just this once," he sobbed.

The man's hardened look softened slightly.

"Keep the money Shinta, you had already helped me out a lot. For your sake, I'll let the boy go," he said gruffly.

"You hear that kid? You were lucky that the town's most lovable boy had come to save you! If it weren't for him, you'd end up in prison. So you better treat him with great respect!" he spat.

"The next time I see you stealing my rice or any other vendors' goods, it won't be just beatings you'll get," he threatened.

Seeing that all the action had ended, the crowd slowly dissipated with disappointment. Everyone was bustling and minding their own business; returning to their daily lives.

Shinta rushed to the boy who was struggling to get up.

"Don't move too much, come on, I'll bring you over to my place to get you treated."

Shinta was about to place the boy's arms over his shoulders for support, until he jerked away.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

The boy remained silent, giving him a look of confusion.

Kamui was baffled; it seems his plan had failed tremendously. It seems the wrong prey had taken the bait. He tried to scurry away, but his injuries prevented him from doing so. Immediately, a jolt of pain shot throughout his entire body.

"Don't move around so much. Here, put your arm around my shoulder."

Shinta leaned a little towards him to offer his shoulder.

"You'll be safe at my place, I promise," he reassured.

Kamui decided that it was a good idea to accept the boy's offer. He could use a temporary shelter and get his wounds treated as well. Afterwards, he could always leave to continue his search for the vermillion haired woman.

Shinta slowly lifted the boy. He was surprised that the boy was very light, and then he took note of his frail state. The boy was probably malnourished.

"Are you ready?" Shinta asked.

Kamui only nodded a response. With slow steps, Shinta started his way home with a new companion.

The journey home was a quiet one. Not one to bear silence, Shinta decided to spark a conversation.

"So, what's your name? I've never seen you around here before; where did you come from?"

"Kamui." The boy replied. His voice was hoarse and high pitched for a boy, but that was no surprise. Boys his age hadn't had their voice cracked yet. Kamui seemed to be about his age or perhaps younger? Despite his frail look, he still had some baby fat on his cheeks. Perhaps the boy was ten or eleven?

Shinta waited a little longer for the boy to answer his other question, but it seems that he had no obligation to.

"So, I guess your name is Kamui then?"

Silence.

"You're not one to talk are you? That's too bad, I love talking. But if don't want to talk, then you'll have to bear my yapping!" Shinta joked.

Kamui was amused with Shinta. He had never met anyone who was as chatty as he was. Despite it being rather annoying, he found it to be pleasing as well. Hearing someone chatting in a carefree manner made him forget about who he really was, for a moment. Shinta was treating him like normal boy, talking to him as if it was a trivial matter. Back in his clan, talking was very rare; no one talked unless it was necessary.

A foreign feeling slowly began to grow in his chest. He felt warm and uneasy, yet comforting; was this what others call happiness? He had read in books that happiness comes with a warm feeling that will make him smile. But, he wasn't smiling, so was it still happiness? As a child, Kamui was trained to dispose of all emotions, but now, he was slowly beginning to experience emotions he never thought he had.

As he continued to hear Shinta rambling on about anything and everything, the warm feeling bloomed even more. Then, a small pull on either corner of his lips tugged upwards. _Yes, this is happiness…_

"We're here, do you mind waiting here by the porch while I go get my mother?"

Kamui nodded.

"I'll be quick, promise." He scurried off, disappearing into the house.

Kamui could hear muffling voices of scolding coming from the house. He managed to hear a few words Shinta had said to his mother.

"But mother I can explain! Just come with me to the porch, this is an emergency!"

Coming out of doorway, Kamui could see Shinta yanking the sleeve of a woman's kimono.

"Hurry," he ushered.

Slowly, the woman's figure emerged from the door frame to reveal a beautiful, youthful vermillion haired woman. Kamui's breath hitched for a moment.

"Mother, meet Kamui, the boy I saved at the market!" he exclaimed.

Both parties made eye contact with each other. Hikaru's eyes were filled with sympathy when she studied the boy.

"You poor thing!" she gasped.

"Shinta, prepare the bath while I get the medical kit." She ordered gently.

Without a word, Shinta skidded to the bathing house. Kamui couldn't help but feel uneasy under the woman's scrutiny.

'_Nakajima Hikaru is Shinta's mother?'_

Kamui couldn't believe his luck; then again, he always had tremendous luck. In fact, he was known as the lucky dog in his clan. Yet, a small thorny feeling pinched his chest; he didn't know what it was but immediately burried the feeling away.

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><p>AN: Thank you for your kind tips and reviews! Some of the ideas I read gave me some inspiration to write about in the upcoming chapters.


	4. Chapter 4

**Vermillion **

_Chapter 4: Wavering Conviction_

"_Your life and your destiny belong to me. You have no right to choose your own path, just like your brother. You will walk in his footsteps, die like he did, and live the rest of your life as a slave to the Tankyu-sha…"_

Kamui shot his eyes open; his heart raced as his adrenaline pumped throughout his entire body. It's the same haunting nightmare he has always had. Those haunting words from Shishio were engraved deep in his mind and soul. The man was right; he would never have his own freedom. His shadow would always loom over his, exploiting his fear of him in order to gain control over the boy's entire being.

Kamui has been staying at the Nakajima residence for nearly a week now. His stay has been rather uneventful, but he isn't one to complain. He has been grateful that he's able to taste freedom for the very first time, even if it is just a fleeting one. He helped around the house along with Shinta as well as running daily errands with his new found friend. Mrs. Nakajima, as Kamui addresses her, is a selfless loving woman who would take care of a stranger when they are in need. Kamui couldn't help but feel a heavy guilt for what is to come in the future; nevertheless, he still had to carry out his master's orders.

Time is running out, he needed to hurry with his assignment before Shishio starts to get the wrong idea. If he stalls for too long, his master may think that he has turned against his clan due to his wavering conviction, and ultimately send him to his death. The young boy shivered at the thought. There were many horrible methods his master could use to dispose of people; one of his favorite is to use burn torture. He would maliciously burn the surface of his victim's skin until they were tar, then he would start skinning them alive and leave them bleeding to death. It was a traumatic scene that Kamui would never forget when his master had demonstrated it to him a few years ago during his training as a rookie.

Looking out the slightly ajar bamboo window, he noticed the slight ray of sun peeking out from the horizon. It's time for him to bathe and wake Shinta up to run their daily errands. He smoothed his long hair before tying them over his shoulders. His bangs were beginning to grow longer, causing them to hinder his sight. He left to the bathing house soon after he prepared his clothes as well as his other necessities.

The sound of the first bird chirping in the dawn is pleasing to his ears as he made his way to the bathing house through the garden. Little by little, more birds began to orchestrate; welcoming the morning. It was rather chilly with summer nearing its end. Kamui quickened his pace, eager to soak in the warm tub of water. He picked up the firewood Shinta has chopped just the other day and began settling them in the fire place. As soon as the spark lit into fire, he stood to dust off his hands and clothes.

Kamui has been soaking in the tub until he heard a soft scurrying sound against the wet wooden floor. His ears twitched a habit he picked up, to increase his hearing capabilities. His eyes traced around for the source of the sound until it landed on a small white figure. A mouse was standing scurrying its way to the rim of the wooden tub. However, it was no ordinary mouse; this mouse is a special messenger. The small mouse carefully handed the clenched note into Kamui's hands from its teeth. Once the note has been securely delivered, the creature scurried back to wherever it came from.

Kamui didn't need to read what's inside the note. He knew it's a warning that time is running short. Shishio wants the job done as soon as possible. The only problem is, Kamui hasn't found an appropriate time to execute his plans. Moreover, he has been struggling with an internal turmoil with his guilt.

'_But if I don't do this, Shishio-sama will kill me'_

The juvenile is a coward who fears for his life. He never knew the feeling of sacrificing one's self to save another's. For his whole life, he has been thrown into a hell where he has to fend for himself. There have always been two options for him: do or die. The only reason why he managed to live to this day is because he has never been concerned of other people's well being nor their lives; in fact, he has been too busy trying to keep himself alive. In the environment he grew up in, there's no such thing as saving or helping others. In other words, his home is like a den of wild savage animals that live by the law of nature, known as the survival of the fittest.

Kamui felt like vomiting. He's becoming confused; all these new emotions were making his head spin. He hated the fact that he's being such a coward, but the other side of him wanted to get the job over with. He didn't want to sacrifice his life for others. Why should he? It's a foolish thing to do, just like what Shishio has always said.

'_I don't want to die…I'm not going to die…I'm not!'_

He grinded his teeth and his clenched palms bled as his nails dug through his pale skin.

'_These useless emotions like guilt, love, and happiness…I don't need them! They will only lead me to my death!'_

Walking through the corridor to Shinta's room, Kamui has accidentally bumped into Mrs. Nakajima while he made a turn around the corner.

"My deepest apologies Mrs. Nakajima! I didn't see you while I was turning around the corner," he apologized.

Hikaru only gave the boy a gentle smile.

"It's my fault as well, don't worry about it. But, putting that aside, I have decided that you boys should take a break for today. You two have been such darlings, helping me around all the time! I don't plan to work at my flower shop today, so I'll be staying at home leisurely. Besides, I need a break too. So why don't you two enjoy yourselves? Do you mind helping me out with breakfast while Shinta gets ready?"

Kamui gave the woman a shy nod. He still isn't used to getting exposed to such kindness from such a beautiful woman. It was making his stomach flutter.

Kamui's mind has been preoccupied with something else other than focusing on the breakfast he is helping with. He's still debating over the right time to carry out his mission. But, no matter how hard he tries to plan, his mind would reject them. It could be because of the heavy guilt in his chest. His mind or rather, his conscience is starting to act up; this made the boy very irritated.

After breakfast, Shinta and Kamui were both sent off by Hikaru to explore around town. Kamui hasn't seen most of the areas, so Shinta has decided to give his friend a tour of the town. At first, the newcomer has been given hostile glares from the vendors since the incident from the day he first arrived. They were especially wary of the boy, thinking he might steal something again. However, the villagers slowly began to accept him after seeing how hard he has worked with Shinta. In fact, they were pleased that Kamui would help Shinta carry out favors from the villagers.

Kamui has been shown all of Shinta's favorite stores, secret hide outs, loops and short cuts. All the things shown to him were fascinating. Once mid day has arrived, the tour guide has decided to take Kamui to a nearby river bank where they would enjoy their purchased shaved ice. Although the weather is slightly too chilly to be eating such cold treats, nevertheless, it's still refreshing. The two boys ate in silence, enjoying the sweet coldness melting in their mouth as they admire the steady flow of the river.

"So Kamui, did you have fun today?" Shinta asked, hoping to strike a conversation. Even if Kamui has been living with him for nearly a week, his mouth is still clamped shut. It has always been difficult to talk with the silent boy.

The black haired boy nodded silently, as he lazily scooped the ice into his mouth.

"You look exhausted! Did you walk too much?" Shinta joked.

An awkward silence grew between the two.

Giving up, Shinta put his bowl away and lay on the grass with his arms propped up against his head. He leisurely crossed one leg over the other as he gazed at a lone cloud drifting in the clear sky.

"Hey Kamui."

Kamui turned to look at Shinta, who kept his gaze towards the sky, questioningly.

"That cloud kind of reminds me of you… I mean, it's all alone, lost, wandering all alone with no one to depend on. What I'm trying to say is that we're your new family now, so you can depend on us all you want. Don't shut us away, we want to know more about you and help you when you have problems, ok?"

Kamui held his head low with his eyes shadowed by his long bangs. He didn't know how to reply; his mixed feelings were stirring again.

Shinta's eyes widened in worry.

"It's not that we're forcing you! So don't cry! It's just-,"

"…I'm…"

Shinta stopped stuttering as he tried to catch the words Kamui were saying. He was beyond happy that the introverted boy is finally making an initiative to talk to him. He sat shot up from his laying position with his hands gripping his crossed legs. He looked like a boy who is anticipating the climax of a story told by his mother. Both ears were alert; he's prepared to listen intently.

"W-what did you say?"

"I'm… a coward."

Shinta frowned; he's prepared to listen to whatever his friend has to say. He's willing to help him with anything if needed.

"Why do you say that?" he coaxed.

"I never got to chose what I want to do because there's always someone who chooses for me. I don't have a choice, even if I don't like it; I still have to do it because I'm afraid of the consequences. Even if I know it's the wrong thing to do, and even if my conscience is crying out to me, I just couldn't bring myself to do the right thing."

Small tears began to trickle down Kamui's cheeks. Shinta felt empathy towards the boy, and put a gentle hand on his shoulder for comfort.

"I don't know what your exact situation is. But, I can tell you this: mother always say that every person exists for a reason. You just have to find that reason yourself; you have to be brave enough to step up against whoever's controlling you. You're the only one who gets to decide your destiny, not other people. Plus, you feel really good if you do the right thing like helping others, despite the consequences. This is one of the reasons why I love running around town to do favors; even though mother doesn't like it…"

He continued to ramble on, oblivious that Kamui isn't paying attention anymore.

'_Am I brave enough to choose my own destiny?'_

The sun is beginning to set. Kamui has been told to go home by himself since Shinta has some things he wanted to get for tonight's dinner.

"You should go home first. Mother would probably need help around the kitchen."

Those were the words he said before he left Kamui on a familiar road which led to his house.

He took long strides while he ran the words over and over again. He wanted to be brave enough to change his destiny. But again, it's difficult to do something he has never done. He's afraid to step out of his cage and into the open; he would feel naked and insecure if he did so. Kamui felt like crying again due to his helplessness.

By the time he reached the house, he noticed Mrs. Nakajima already preparing the pots and pans along with arranged ingredients on the table. She turned around to face him when she heard his footsteps by the doorway.

"Oh, you're home already? I just finished making the preparations for tonight's dinner. Where's Shinta by the way?"

"He told me to go ahead since he needed to buy extra ingredients."

"Extra ingredients? He probably wants a feast tonight," she joked.

She shook her head with a chuckle, and then turned around to cut the vegetables.

"…Mrs. Nakajima," Kamui murmured.

The knife in her hand slipped to the wooden floor as she felt cold steel penetrating through her back. The kitchen went dead silent with only the sound of the kitchen knife hitting against the wooden floor.

* * *

><p>Shinta found himself disappointed when he arrived to the stall selling his favorite fish, only to find it closed.<p>

"If I knew it would be like this I should have gone home with Kamui!" he pouted.

Sighing in defeat, he kicked the dirt out of frustration.

"Guess I better hurry home then."

As he neared his home, he noticed something isn't right. He didn't know what it is, but all of a sudden, his spine started to chill. The evening crow cawed with the cold gust of wind blowing his way eerily. He broke out into cold sweat and without hesitation, he dashed into his home. He knew something's definitely wrong. He didn't smell the usual aroma from the kitchen, nor did he hear the sound of knife against the cutting board. It's strange because his mother should be preparing dinner by now.

The house is rather dim, accompanied by an unsettling silence. The floor board beneath him creaked as he slowly, yet cautiously, approached the kitchen. Something thick plummeted his sense of smell; he couldn't register what it is at first. A fraction of a second later, a thick metallic smell oozed into his nose which made him nauseous. Only then did he see the terrifying sight before him.

He could see Kamui's figure standing with his back towards him.

"K-Kamui-,"

Kamui turned his body around with a tear stricken face. Then, he noticed something lying on the floor behind him. His entire body froze and his mind went blank with fear.

"Shinta, it seems that I will remain as coward for the rest of my life."

Those were the last words he heard before a sharp pain in his abdomen plunged him into a world of darkness.


End file.
